News and Articles

Using the Social Vulnerability Index to Identify Communities in Need during an Emergency

Alice Frame, MA - MDHHS Disabilities Health Unit Coordinator

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Geospatial Research, Analysis & Services Program (GRASP) within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created databases in 2011 to help emergency response planners and public health officials identify and map communities that will most likely need support before, during, and after a hazardous event (CDC, 2018; Flanagan, Gregory, Hallisey, Heitgerd, & Lewis, 2011).

Using the Social Vulnerability Index to Identify Communities in Need during an Emergency>>

Training & Events

Continuing Advances in Special Pathogen Response

East Lansing, Michigan

This conference will integrate Special Pathogen Response into emergency preparedness post special pathogens response network (SPRN) funding. It will provide an opportunity to discuss lessons learned from the 2014 and 2018 Ebola outbreaks. The conference will seek to examine via a workshop level of preparedness among Michigan Ebola Treatment Centers. First responders will demonstrate best practices in personal protective equipment.

To register: MI-TRAIN Course ID: 1084417

Disaster Preparedness and Social Determinants of Health

Archived Webinar

This one-hour, nine-minute webinar discusses the public health and information technology (IT) challenges in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Speakers from the Virgin Islands, Healthcare Ready, and the Health Resources and Services Administration discuss the collaborative effort for a health and information technology exchange in these areas.

Disaster Preparedness and Social Determinants of Health>>

The Michigan Update

BETP Employee Recognized Nationally for Excellence and Making an Impact

Craig Henry-Jones, the Michigan Health Alert Network Coordinator, who has been with the Bureau of EMS, Trauma and Preparedness (BETP) for nearly 15 years, was recognized nationally for his dedication to the mission of preparedness, resiliency, and excellence in commitment to a cause by long-time State of Michigan vendor, Juvare.  Juvare is the provider of innovative emergency response software solutions, like the Health Alert Network, EMResource, eICS and WebEOC.

BETP Employee Recognized Nationally for Excellence and Making an Impact>>

Laboratory Response Network-Celebrates 20 years of Preparedness

Teresa Miller - Chemical Threat Response Training Coordinator- MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories

On March 20, 1995, the chemical warfare agent sarin, was released in a Tokyo subway station, impacting thousands of commuters. As a result, The United States realized there was a need to create a laboratory response system with the capacity to test thousands of people that may be exposed to lethal chemicals during a large-scale event.

Laboratory Response Network-Celebrates 20 years of Preparedness>>

The Unique Use of An Application to Monitor Health Care Providers Of The Special Pathogen Patient

Karen Emery and Karin Montgomery - St. Joseph Mercy Health System

As a result of the 2014 West Africa Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) formed the Special Pathogen Response Network (SPRN) with the goal of strengthening Michigan's response to new or emerging public health threats.  Six (6) hospitals in Michigan were identified as Ebola treatment centers (ETC) including, Saint Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor (SJMAA).

The Unique Use of An Application to Monitor Health Care Providers Of The Special Pathogen Patient>>

Research

Case fatality ratio estimates for the 2013 – 2016 West African Ebola epidemic: application of Boosted Regression Trees for imputation

The 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic has been the largest to date with more than 11,000 deaths in the affected countries. The data collected have provided more insight than ever before into the case fatality ratio (CFR) and how it varies with age and other characteristics. However, the accuracy and precision of the naïve CFR remain limited because 44% of survival outcomes were unreported.

The researchers used a Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) model, which allowed them to further identify and explore relevant clinical and demographic predictors of the CFR.

The adjusted CFR estimates improved the naïve CFR estimates obtained without imputation and were more representative. Used in conjunction with other resources, adjusted estimates will inform public health contingency planning for future Ebola epidemic, and help better allocate resources and evaluate the effectiveness of future inventions.

Case fatality ratio estimates for the 2013 – 2016 West African Ebola epidemic: application of Boosted Regression Trees for imputation>>

Tools & Resources

The Use of Evidence in Decision Making During Public Health Emergencies

This report is based upon a workshop on 5–6 December 2018. The workshop sought to identify and address the links between scientific evidence and decision-making in public health emergencies, and to address the key challenges faced by public health experts when advising decision makers.  Mechanisms and actions identified during the workshop for overcoming barriers to evidence-based decision-making included strengthening knowledge transfer; improving networking between actors and disciplines, and developing effective approaches for promoting the uptake of evidence in public health decision-making. 

The Use of Evidence in Decision Making During Public Health Emergencies>>